Patience paid off for the Mets with Jay Bruce. The slow free agent market and Sandy Alderson’s plan to wait resulted in the Mets getting a very good hitter, the player they had targeted, on a very team-friendly deal.

Will that patience also help the Mets fill the need for an infielder who can play second or third base? After re-introducing Bruce as a Met, officially announcing his three-year, $39 million deal, Alderson said that he still has the financial ability and flexibility to go out and make another significant free agent signing.

The Mets have proven that patience can pay off in this market and they should continue to practice that by waiting for the right free agent — whether it be Eduardo Nunez, Todd Frazier or Neil Walker — to fill that spot.

Alderson said that a trade would be a possibility, but indicated a free agent signing would be his preference. The Mets have had talks with the Pirates this winter about versatile veteran infielder Josh Harrison, but they balked at the idea of sending back first baseman Dominic Smith in a deal. Alderson called Smith the “first baseman of the future” Wednesday.

Sandy Alderson was able to wait for the right deal to bring back Jay Bruce, and he now is planning to do the same to bolster the Mets' infield.

“A trade is a possibility,” Alderson said. “If we were to try to improve in that area, I think we prefer to sign a free agent, only because it doesn’t require us to give up talent.

“We have talent to give up. It’s not like we don’t have players that anybody wants. There’s been a lot of talk about our farm system. It’s not as strong as it used to be, but we’ve got plenty of good players that people want. I’ve never been big on giving up young players anyway.”

The Mets’ system is rated as “thin on talent” by scouts across the game, so they shouldn’t dip into that shallow pool. In a market that Alderson thinks represents a change in baseball’s business model, the Mets have already proven that patience can be a wise strategy.

Jay Bruce is a quality hitter who the Mets managed to land on a team-friendly contract.

(Seth Wenig/AP)

With a very strict eye on the payroll, the Mets are looking for bargains. After the $10 million added to the payroll with the signing of Bruce this season, the Mets are estimated to have a payroll of about $135 million. Alderson and other Mets sources continue to say they expect to open the season below the $154 million with which they started the 2017 season.

Alderson sees other teams taking a similar wait-out-the-deals approach. Teams are valuing younger players and are reluctant to overpay for past performances with veteran free agents. That is leading to later and later free agent signings, leaving an unprecedented stockpile of talented free agents available midway through January. Agents have been warning their clients to stay patient into February, but one industry source said Wednesday he expects March will be busy with signings this year. Maybe that is when the Mets will find their infielder, but Wednesday you could not argue with the approach.

The Mets’ signing of Bruce was significantly less than was projected at the beginning of the offseason in part because of the patience of the front offices. The 30-year-old three-time All-Star said he had other offers, and he was among the top outfield free agents available.

Todd Frazier is among the free-agent infielders on the Mets' radar.

(Elsa/Getty Images)

Bruce spent parts of the 2016-17 seasons with the Mets and showcased his abilities with Cleveland last fall. In five games during the American League Division Series with Cleveland, Bruce went 5-for-18 (.278) with two home runs and four RBI.

Over 153 career games with the Mets after being acquired at the trade deadline on August 1, 2016 from Cincinnati, Bruce has hit .245 (141-575) with 25 doubles, 37 home runs and 94 RBI. His 37 home runs and 94 RBI in that time led the team.

Those numbers would have gotten him a bigger deal just two years ago, but even Bruce sensed things are changing.

“I think the way the offseason kind of went and slowness of it, it kind of maybe changed my outlook on it a little bit. I tried not to box myself into any expectations. I felt like I wanted something that was fair,” Bruce said. “Whether it was two years or four years or whatever, I wanted it to feel good for my family and have a chance to win a championship somewhere.”

With less than a month until pitchers and catchers report to spring training, the Mets are still hoping patience will pay off with yet another late-winter bargain who can fill the hole in their lineup.